Ten Things in Ten Days: My First Take on Philadelphia

For me, the most exciting thing about summer is the feeling of possibility. This is the feeling that no matter what is going on right now, summer guarantees exciting new adventures. This summer that feeling of excitement is especially high as I have moved my fabulous self to a brand new city. For the next three months, I will blogging from the brotherly lovin’, cheese steak eatin’, Rocky Stairs runnin’ city of Philadelphia. I am not gainfully employed (yet) but I am rowing for Penn AC’s intermediate program. Practice hasn’t started yet so in between applying for real jobs and trying to keep my out-of-shape self from getting more out of shape, I have been exploring things this great city has to offer. This isn’t a traditional “Tory’s Top Ten” but here is a list of ten things I’ve done in the past ten days since I moved.

1. Run the Rocky Stairs. This was the first thing I had to do. Granted, I did it as a workout and not to re-enact that famous scene (as many tourists do). In the five or so other days that I’ve run them, it’s cool to see just how many different types of people pay homage to Rocky on the Art Museum Stairs. On top of running them at the end of each of my jogs, I’ve also done 3x8 sets with 3’ rest and 5x5’ of steps with 5’ rest. While it’s not as hard as a true 5x5’ workout, it was definitely not easy.

2. Eaten old fashioned ice cream at Franklin Fountain. These interestingly named sundaes were a little expensive, but worth the wait and the money. I had never had a banana split before so I tried “Banana Split for My Baby” which is a smaller version of a banana split with more peanut butter. So kind of like one of my shakes …only way, way unhealthier and way, way tastier.

3. Enjoyed healthy eats at The Couch Tomato. When I ventured to Manayunk, I was overwhelmed how many restaurants I wanted to eat at. The Couch Tomato stuck out because it was a funky looking spot off the main street. The food was great (I tried the Holy Chipotle and BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad). Even if the food had been so-so, they won me over when I was asked if I wanted my dressing on the side and I didn’t have to feel like a picky snob for ordering it that way. (Even though you can’t really tell from this list, I am dieting…yeah, I swear!) Any salad can be made into a wrap and they have a ton of vegetarian options, or you can make your own. The ingredients taste as fresh as they are guaranteed to be and if you sit outside, it’s a great place for people watching.

4. Partied at The Bike Race. The Philadelphia International Cycling Championship, known in Philly as The Bike Race, is a pro bicycling race that snakes its way through Philadelphia every June. I thought people only drank before 10 a.m. if they were being hazed but when we arrived at “The Wall” at 10:45 a.m., spectators were already slurring their commentary. It was like an outrageous day-long frat party to support the bikers. “The Wall”, one of the best places to watch, refers to a giant hill in Manayunk where the riders slow down enough that I could almost high five them. If they hadn’t been climbing a hill giant enough that walking up it just once made me need a nap.

5. Got a brain freeze at Philly Flavors. Anyone who knows me knows that I love Rita’s. This might be the better version of Rita’s…with more flavors, real ice cream as well as frozen yogurt and HUGE portions for about the same price (just don’t get a sundae because those will run your bill up). They will mix Italian ice with soft serve ice cream and it is so good. I highly recommend peach ice with vanilla soft serve. Just don’t eat it as fast as I did…brain freeze!

6. Used my college knowledge to crush Quizzo at North Star Bar. Ok, so maybe I only got one question right. But my team was really smart and that’s what counts. This trivia night, hosted by Johnny Goodtimes (who sometimes raps questions), was a low key pen-and-paper game with four rounds: easy, speed, themed and impossible, with some “guess-the-song” rounds in between. And no, the question I got right was not in the easy round. The wings were pretty good, the beers were better and the feeling of winning would have been the best. Guess I have to go back next Monday for that!

7. Had my first cheesesteak as a Philadelphia resident at Mama’s Pizzeria. While it might not be as famous as Pat’s or Geno’s, I could care less because it wasn’t crowded and the cheesesteaks were awesome. And by “cheesesteaks”, I have to confess that I could only eat half. But it was a fantastic half, with perfect roll and extra cheese and grilled onions and tasty steak. I will definitely be sampling a lot of cheesesteaks over the next three months but even if there is a better one out there, it probably won’t taste just as good microwaved for lunch the next day (but Mama’s did!)

8. Celebrated Beer Week at Memphis Taproom. If I had known that Beer Week existed, I probably would have moved here years ago. Who wouldn’t love a city that celebrates beer? Memphis Tap Room was a great place for me to go to kick off my first beer week. Not only did they have a no repeat beer week beer menu, they also have fried pickles (they taste WAY better than they sound) and delicious sandwiches for not too much money.

9. Devoured wings at PJ Wellihans. Thanks to Darby’s forty cent wing night, I discovered this year that I love wings, especially sweetly barbequed wings with a little bit of tang. I might not have had a long history of wing eating, but these wings are the best I have ever eaten. Ever. We ordered 30 Hot ‘n’ Honey wings for three of us, but I am pretty sure that I could have eaten all 30 by myself. And then wanted more. They were amazing.

10. Sampled my way through Whirled Peace. I went to this froyo place for the first time in March and I was totally in love. At that point, I didn’t know I was going to move to Philadelphia (perhaps subconsciously this is what made me chose) but I knew I loved this place. They have about ten flavors of frozen yogurt, from the typical chocolate and vanilla to some super weird sounding flavors that were actually kind of good. I don’t know because I’ve made ten trips, I know because they let you have free samples of every flavor. Actually, I'm not sure if they let you do this. I just know that there were sampling cups and I was in charge of getting my own. When you stop sampling, you can add a TON of different toppings for whatever craving you have that day. So delicious!

So what if three of my ten adventures were ice cream related? Clearly I have my priorities in order. While I have done these ten things, some highlights so far that didn’t make the Top Ten include getting a bike flat, falling off my bike, successfully parallel parking my car, erging in the Penn AC boathouse, riding my bike in the city at night, figuring out where I am (sometimes), going grocery shopping in a less than nice neighborhood and not getting any parking tickets (so far). I haven’t been on the water yet, which will make 22 days the longest amount of time I have not rowed (during rowing months) in the past three years. Other than that, I am enjoying myself immensely and look forward to a summer full of adventures! Do you have any adventure ideas for me? Leave a comment or send me an email!

Tory's Top Ten: Top Ten Things I Did on Training Trip

The way time works on a break is different than the way time works in real life. On a vacation, one second it's the first day, full of possibilities,  and then the next second, you're headed home with a sunburn and five extra pounds around your waist. The way time works on a training trip is different. The first day goes incredibly fast as you're readjusting to getting on the water all the time. The next four days your body tries to commit suicide with the amped up level of training. Then it's the end of the week and you're wondering where the time went.

Our training trip was very productive this year. Unfortunately, our varsity team is so small that we do not have a 2v and while our freshmen boats are making good progress, we were unable to practice with them as much as we might have wanted to practice with another boat. However, having the individual coaching attention definitely helped our boat improve immensely. Instead of boring my readers with the "eat, row, eat, row, eat, sleep" of the everyday, I will highlight the best ten things that I did on my last spring training trip.

Rowed mixed line ups. There are years where mixed line ups are incredibly painful, and then there are years where mixed line ups are fun. With a fairly talented freshmen class, this year mixed line ups were fun and incredibly competitive. We did six pieces between two eights and the difference between winning and losing for every single piece was less than a seat. I love racing, and that was awesome. 

Didn't erg...not even once! I did not touch an erg handle for ten whole days. It was fantastic. A mid season break from the erg is both mentally and physically refreshing.  And I loved it.

At our favorite ice cream shop Spill the Beans

Ate as much delicious food as I wanted to. There aren't many times in my life where I can justify four full plates of food per meal. In fact, the only time I can justify this is during training trip. Did I possibly eat more than I needed to? Maybe. Was it totally worth it? Yes. 


Did pieces with another team.  I love racing...and I love racing other people. With our freshmen needing to practice by themselves, sometimes it was tough get the extra kick that we needed to really push ourselves. Luckily, Purdue was nice enough to give us the opportunity to piece against their 1v, 2v and lightweight 8, which was very competitive and enjoyable. I don't think I've ever sweat so much in my entire life, but it was awesome.

Got immersed in good books. Like everyone else in the world, I spent our training trip reading The Hunger Games. Like the savvy millenial that I am, instead of buying the hard copies, I downloaded the Kindle App versions. I have to say that it was the best choice I made for the trip and the best $17 I've spent in a long time. I was able to devour the first book on the bus, even after everyone else went to bed. Then when I decided that I needed to read the second and third books, I could read in bed when my roommates went to bed. 

Stroked the Varsity 8. It has always been my crew dream to stroke the Varsity 8+. Realistically, I am not the correct size, nor do I have the correct length of stroke to stroke a competitive Division I V8. Although I know I will likely not stay in this position for long, it was exciting for me to remain in stroke seat for more than ten minutes.

Channeled my inner child. Who hasn't wanted to jump on a hotel room bed? And yes, I know my mother told me not to, and I know you're not supposed to, and I probably shouldn't be writing about this, but honestly...it was great.And I promise I will never do it again.

Jumped in the lake. I have wanted to jump in Lake Hartwell since I first saw it and our boat finally took "the plunge" this year. It took some guts...and maybe someone pulling me in a little bit but I can say that I did in fact participate in a wet t-shirt contest on my college spring break. It was just the PG version.

"If the coxswains keep talking about their social lives during this erg test, I'm going to throw someone off the balcony."

Freshmen imitating their first crew practice

Laughed til I cried. One tradition our team takes part in that seems to be prevalent in the rowing world involves performing skits for our teammates. We divide up by grade and imitate our teammates. The senior class chose to verbalize what we think when we're erging (ex: "If I have to hear N***s in Paris one more time, I'm going to scream" or "Pretty sure someone just farted").  The three juniors held a Marist Crew version of "The Bachelor". The freshmen divided into three groups to imitate the three stages of crew season so far: first week in the boat, fall racing and winter training, all while doing hilarious impersonations of our three coaches. As good as our skit was, I think the juniors and the freshmen did an amazing job of making me laugh until I cried.

Got off the line with very fast crews. On our last day of training trip, we raced Clemson, Indiana, Purdue, Syracuse, Iowa and Boston University. All of these crews are very fast and we knew that it would take everything we had to hang on for the start, never mind the entire race.While our race wasn't great by a long shot, we had an amazing start and hung on for a good twenty strokes until we got walked on. Check out the video!

I have to say I still haven't knocked off everything on my Clemson training trip bucket list, such as rowing the 1x on the Clemson course or running the Death Valley stadium stairs, I am very happy with how things went this year. And who knows, maybe I will pull the alumni string and come back with the team in the future!

Top Ten Things to Bring on a Training Trip

1. Heating pad/The Stick

Training trips make you sore – that’s why they are called “training” trips. I’ve found that anything to alleviate soreness is useful to pack. Back stiffness is something that happens a lot on training trips and our room usually has a lineup of people to use the heating pad. The Stick is the same and probably the best $25 Christmas present I’ve ever gotten. Very useful for rolling out calves and hamstrings or – if you have a particularly nice teammate – glutes and forearms.

2. Sunglasses

This easily forgotten item (when it’s barely over 32 degrees at home) is a training trip necessity. Eyes need sun protection just like your skin does. Six hours a day on a bright sunny lake is not good for your eyes. I love Oakleys but I know a lot of people who also like Rudy Project. Just make sure they have UV protection – good sunglasses are worth shelling out the extra cash.

3. Pepto/Tums

I’ve never been on a training trip where someone hasn’t had stomach problems. The change in food and the extra workouts can magnify any minor issues. Last year it got so bad that our team – who celebrates such training trip holidays as Wacky Wednesday and TieDye Friday – dubbed one such day Poop Your Pants Thursday. Beautiful, I know. I personally carry Tums everywhere, but for those who don’t, pack some for the trip.

4. iPod (with new music)

One of the best things about a training trip is spending every minute of every day with your team, however, it can be one of the hardest things too. I like bringing my iPod because it gives me a little bubble of alone time – when the headphones are in, people usually don’t bother me. Training trips can be a tough time mentally as well as physically and listening to music helps keep me sane.

5. PreWrap

This cheap band serves two purposes: It can help warp a sore wrist or ankle, but it is also a stylish hair accessory. And by stylish, I actually mean functional. This is the only hairband that can keep my hair out of my face (I think that’s due to the fact that I have an abnormally small head). Our team usually wears red, but it comes in all different colors and patterns, like floral, leopard print, and tie dye (above) .

6. Epsom Salt

Whether you bring this or buy it en route, Epsom salt has always had a place on training trip. We’ve perfected the art of healing blisters: get the ice bucket, fill with warm water, dissolve Epsom salt in, put blistered hands in concoction and commence swearing. Epsom salt – as I’ve mentioned before – is a great way to keep blisters clean and on the right track to becoming callouses.

7. Extra Water Bottle

Of course you’re going to bring one nalgene, but are two really necessary? I think yes – hydration is vital to good performance and water bottles get lost constantly. Is it in the room? The cafeteria? On the dock? Did it get left in the boat? Did the coxswain accidentally drop it in the water? Just bring an extra and even if you don’t lose the first one, you can have one for water during practice, and one for your -ade of choice after. Or you can be nice and lend it to your pal who didn’t follow my advice.

8. Raingear

Training trips normally take place somewhere that’s always warm and sunny, right? Wrong. I thought that until it poured the first three days of our trip my freshman year. I ended up having to go to Walmart to buy pants because my only pair was constantly soaked. Fashion aside, water proof jacket and pants are good choices. Bring them.

9. Team bonding activity

Whether its Apples to Apples, a deck of cards or copious amounts of OPI nail polish, doing something the team can enjoy together is smart. There is down time on these trips and although napping and watching TV may seem like a better choice, you’ll miss out on that time that your teammate hilariously pronounced “mucus membranes” as “mu-chos mem-bra-nays”…and thought it was right. 

Getting excited during an intense game of Ninja last year!

10. Positive Mental Attitude

Training trips are hard. I wish that someone had told me that when I went on my first one – all I heard about was how much fun you have. Yes, training trips are fun, but it’s important to be prepared for a lot of work. When it’s 90 degrees out and you’re on your fourth of who knows how many five-minute seat racing pieces, it’s going to be a PMA that gets you through. Training trips put everyone through a lot of scrutiny, whether it’s through video, seat racing or just a lack of privacy. It is important to be positive about the work that you are putting in and how it’s going to help the team during the regular season. Because, really, that’s what you’re there for.

Honorable Mentions

Pillow and blanket for the bus

Good bus movies (usually easy to follow with same volume all the way through…Inception is not a good choice)

Team gear (a given)

Every pair of spandex you own

Every pair of socks you own

A scale to make sure that you’re not losing or gaining too much weight during this intense spike in training (and eating!)

And.....

....love for your teammates!

Tory's Top Ten Reasons to Hire a Rower

As I move into my senior year of college, all everyone (read: parents and relatives and other assorted adults) wants to talk about is “after graduation”. Seniors hate this question. The average college student wakes up at noon, procrastinates as much as possible and drinks three nights a week. For any athlete, this isn’t usually an option. For a collegiate rower, it’s impossible. Anyone who knows our schedule knows that we wake up before 6 a.m. to train and usually have to have finished our day by 11 p.m. in order to get adequate sleep. In that time period, we have to balance multiple practices, classes, homework, and stops for frequent eating. In this respect, I feel that rowing prepares athletes for the real world better than college itself actually does. As a rower, I believe that I have some advantages in the job market that many of my peers do not have.

1. Rowers are used to early hours. You need me to get up at 6 a.m.? That’s 45 more minutes of sleep than I got six days a week in college. I also won’t show up for work bleary-eyed and needing a coffee IV, unlike many other recent college grads.

2. Rowers work really, really hard. In rowing, the ratio of practice time to racing time is depressingly high in favor of practice. Almost three hours a day, six days a week between September and May for six minutes of racing approximately ten times a spring. We’re used to putting in a lot of work for a small payoff.

3. Rowers are used to being yelled at constructively criticized. I spend most of my mornings hearing things like “Mather, relax your shoulders!” and “Square up earlier!” through a megaphone or a microphone. Being told I need to work harder on a project or that I’m not doing something in the right manner isn’t going to phase me.

4. Rowers are used to dealing with people. Name the person that you dislike in your office. Is it the person who constantly complains? The person who never pulls their own weight? The person who throws you under the bus to make themselves look better? As a rower, I have dealt with all of those people. I haven’t just simply tolerated them either. I’ve had to work with them and trust them to have my back in a racing situation, meaning that I am fully prepared to work with these people in an office environment.

5. Rowers are team players. Too many times in my rowing career, I have been upset at a teammate for not showing up to practice and not allowing me to row because of numbers. I have vowed never to be that teammate and work as hard as I can to not allow my actions to hurt other people.

6. Rowers are humble. In rowing, there is no MVP. It doesn’t matter if I have the fastest erg in the boathouse or the most experience in my boat; I don’t have the option to do well until every other person in my boat gets faster as well. A standout athlete on a mediocre team in any other sport gets recognition; a standout rower usually does not.

7. Rowers are punctual. Showing up to practice late usually means punishment in the form of hills or sprints. While I might not encounter that at a job, a fear of being late has been ingrained into my skull. In fact, I’ll probably show up fifteen minutes early to make sure my desk is set up correctly and to make sure there’s a full pot of coffee brewing.

8. Rowers have good time-management skills. We know what it takes to balance a busy schedule. Procrastination is not an option when it comes to excelling in both school and rowing. Rowers have a keen ability to pick out what urgently needs to get done and what can be left for another day.

9. Rowers are strong. Need the communal water bottle changed? I can do that. Need a heavy box lifted off of a high shelf? I can do that. This might not be a reason to hire a rower, but it certainly helps us earn our keep.

10. Rowers are good at making coffee. But only if you like it strong. When it comes to caffeine, I don’t mess around.

Now this article isn’t meant to bash Average Jane College Student. There were many mornings where my alarm went off at 5:15 a.m. when I wished I was her. Sometimes I wonder if employers look at my resume and think “Why would she put so much time into a sport? Maybe if she had put that much time into her grades, she would have a 4.0!” But I do think that college doesn’t always prepare people for “the real world”. I believe that I learned more people skills and discipline on the water than I ever did in a classroom. With that being said, would you hire me (and my teammates)?

Tory's Top Ten: Myths About the Recruiting Process

As we rush headlong into fall, we reach the time of year where recruiting is at its height. High school juniors are looking at their potential college choices and high school seniors are going on official visits to finalize these choices. As someone who went through the recruiting process, I have to say I am glad that I never have to do it again. However, being a collegiate rower doesn’t mean that you don’t have to deal with recruits – I am pretty sure that my housemates and I have hosted over 25 recruits in three years. I also work for a collegiate coach, and although I am not involved directly with the recruiting process, I have seen and heard many a horror story from my boss and other collegiate coaches. Although I admit that I wasn’t perfect in my recruiting behavior, it bothers me how relaxed some high schoolers are in their treatment of coaches, athletic department staff and the recruiting process in general. I am nowhere near an expert – and most of these rules apply to D1 and competitive D3 schools – but here are some of my observations from the inside. 

 1. It’s okay if I don’t get good grades or standardized test scores because rowing is going to get me into college.

This might work for a football player or a basketball player, but 99% of the time it won’t work for a rower. Coaches need to know that you can handle schoolwork and rowing. At DI schools, this is a huge commitment and it’s hard to balance. If you can’t handle the schoolwork, you’re going to become academically ineligible and you won’t be any use to the team anyway. You have to be able to prove you can at least somewhat handle the workload of a college environment. Also, good grades can sometimes translate into merit scholarships, which are a big help when it comes to paying tuition bills.

2. If I talked to a coach once, he or she is going to remember me.

Coaches, especially rowing coaches, talk to a lot of people throughout the year. Unless they’re looking at their notes, they probably don’t remember you. This is why it’s important to identify yourself clearly – with at least your name, crew program and how to contact you – every time. Be as specific as possible with everything and don’t get frustrated if you have to explain your situation more than once. Coaches are busy people, and the more you help them out, the happier they’ll be.

3. Being good at high school rowing should mean that I’m going to be good at college rowing.

People who are good at rowing in college usually have two traits: they like rowing and they have a good work ethic. Talent can get you places in high school rowing, but without hard work, it won’t do much in college. Standards for most collegiate teams – especially Division I – are much higher than most high schools. Even if your high school team was strict about attendance and work ethic, the temptation of partying until 3 a.m. before morning practice was outweighed by parental discipline. Without self-discipline, a lot of talented rowers end up on shore because there are always people willing to work harder. 

4. I really enjoy rowing, but I’m not in a good high school boat, so I don’t think I would be able to row in college.

I repeat what I said above…people who are good at rowing in college usually have two traits: they like rowing and they have a good work ethic. “B” boat rowers who like rowing and are willing to work hard will last longer in a collegiate rowing atmosphere than “A” boat rowers who are in good boats just because of talent. A love of the sport combined with a good work ethic will last athletes much longer than any natural talent.

5. If a coach from a school I don’t want to attend keeps contacting me, it’s better if I just ignore them or talk to them anyway rather than tell them I don’t want to go to their school.

Coaches spend a lot of time recruiting their classes. If you know that a rowing program is not for you, the polite thing to do is tell the coach. They can then spend their time with people who do want to row for them. Letting a coach think that you want to row for him and then telling him at the last minute you don’t is going to make him super frustrated. It’s the same as a relationship: cut the ties so both of you can move on to better things.

6. I’m pretty busy, so coaches will understand why my mom or dad is contacting them instead of me.

Remember what I said about self-discipline? This falls under that category too. Yes, you’re busy but so are coaches and they don’t want to talk to your parents. Juniors and seniors in high school who want to row for competitive colleges should have enough self-discipline to make their own contacts. Not only that, but your parents might not know exactly what you want from a school. Send your own emails and make your own phone calls. It pretty much goes without saying that if your mom is the one on the phone with your future coach, you’re not making a good first impression.

7. I don’t have to be super courteous to every rowing coach that contacts me, only the ones I want to row for.

Remember that crazy ride at Disney where you sit in a boat and tour around a world made of painted dolls singing “It’s A Small World”? There’s a reason you’re in a boat: the world of rowing is very small. Manners are important whether the school is your top choice or your last choice before living in your parent’s basement and working at McDonalds. Chances are, if you’re less than polite to one coach, other coaches will find out. 

8. I don’t really like rowing but I like being part of a team, so I’m going to row in college.

This is why intramural sports were invented. Rowing is far too huge of a commitment to join just for the team atmosphere. Think about the time this way: other students have full time jobs, rowers train. There’s no point in putting yourself through the pain of training and racing just to make some friends. There are so many other ways to foster a team atmosphere in college – intramurals, student government, clubs, Greek life, the list goes on and on – that you shouldn’t waste your time if you’re only in it for the camaraderie. 

9. I only picked the school that I picked because of the crew team, but that’s fine with me.

Now, there are some people who disagree with me on this one, so feel free to have your own opinion. I believe that students should pick a school where they like everything, not just the crew team. Even if the only thing you want to major in is rowing, school is too expensive to not get a good education. If you have the financial freedom, pick a school that has the programs you want to study and a student body you like in a place where you want to spend four years. Coaches don’t want to recruit you to a place where you’re not going to be happy.

10. If I don’t really want to row in college, I’ll just use it to help get myself in and then quit.

This is probably the worst thing you could do. You are doing nothing better than lying to a coach when you agree to row for him or her, knowing that you are going to quit. Coaches spend a lot of time recruiting and you have just wasted it. Worse, if you are on scholarship, you’re wasting money that could have gone to someone else who actually cared about rowing (and it will be gone by the next semester anyway). And even worse than that, your decision doesn’t just affect you. You can black list your high school program. This means that anyone from your program who actually wants to row in college for all four years probably won’t get a chance to be recruited by your school – or by a school coached by someone who heard about you. If you don’t really want to row in college, it’s that simple: don’t.

Recruiting can be a stressful time, especially for rowers because we are usually doing all of the work ourselves. However, don’t forget that it is also stressful for coaches, who are usually under a lot of pressure to bring in a good recruiting class. Make yourself familiar with the NCAA recruiting rules as well as my rules to make your recruiting process as painless as possible. 

Do you have more advice about recruiting? Personal stories? Feel free to comment or email me!

Tory's Top Ten: Tips for Mentally Preparing for a Race

Endurance athletes spend so many hours training and preparing for the physical aspect of racing that they often forget about the mental fitness that is also required. This used to be one of my biggest flaws as an athlete. I would be more than adequately prepared for a 2k erg test or a 100m free race but I would psyche myself out and do poorly. Years of racing have calmed me down a bit and I am able to handle race day nerves much better than my hyperventilating 12-year-old self. However, this weekend I will be tackling not one, but two semi-unknown races. The first is Derby Sweeps and Sculls, where I will be rowing in the single for the first time. The second is Rebel Race New York, a 5k run and obstacle course. Even though these races are very different from each other and from races I have done in the past, I know how to handle my nerves to the best of my ability. Here are my ten tips to keep race day nerves to a minimum.

Have A-B-C goals. Set three different goals for yourself, ranging from an A goal, or the best possible scenario, through to a C goal, an acceptable finish. Also, know what a race means for your racing season.  For example, Rebel Race is just a random race that my brother wanted me to do with him because he thought it would be fun. I have no intention of winning, I just want to finish in order to enjoy my free beer and finisher’s medal. I don’t need to have an A or B goal, because the race is a C race for me. However, Derby is important to me. I want to have a good racing experience because, in terms of rowing after college, the single is my best option. I would love to be top 3, my A goal, but if I cross the finish line with a good start  and good sprint and row a straight course without going swimming (my C goal), I will be satisfied.

Double check all equipment. In triathlon and rowing, equipment is vital. It’s possible for me to swim without goggles and a cap or even run without shoes, but I am not going anywhere without a functioning bike or shell. In the first triathlon I did, my goggle strap broke two minutes before my swim wave went off. Goggles are easy to fix, bikes and shells are not. I like to double check everything so that I can be confident in the fact that, if anything should break, it’s not because of my lack of attention to detail.

Wear something comfortable. This seems like a no-brainer but I think people sometimes go a little crazy with over-thinking a race day outfit. The first piece of advice I got when I started triathlon is “never wear anything brand new on race day”. Train in everything that you might race in. My outfit for Derby and Rebel Race is going to be the exact thing that I train in every day: black spandex shorts and a white tank top. I know it’s comfortable, and as an added bonus, I know I look good.

Rockin' the white tank and black spandex at Crash-B's, February 2011

Know as much as you can. Getting to a race late because of not knowing the parking was a 30 minute walk to transition or realizing the morning of that your GPS doesn’t recognize addresses located on state routes causes unnecessary stress. I like to know as much as possible about the venue and race rules beforehand. Sometimes certain places have funky rules that might throw you off if you only learn them on race day. I like to pick my packet up the night before if possible. That way, I can scope the course set up and meet some friendly volunteers who might be more willing to have my back on race day.

Have a routine. The weirdest thing about doing triathlons for me was travelling to a race by myself. I’ve always raced with a team. However, I stuck to my race day routine as best I could to combat the weird feeling of not having my teammates around. I made my coffee with skim milk and sugar, listened to my acoustic Eric Clapton and ate some oatmeal and half a power bar. Sticking to the regular routine that I follow with my teammates helped calm my nerves and get me into the racing mentality.

Oatmeal with raisins and apples, my favorite pre-race food!

Pack the night before…and pack extras. I like to lay everything out and double check it before I pack. Then I know that everything is going into the bag at the same time. If I pack over a span of a couple hours or rush around to pack the morning of, I am more likely to think that something is in the bag when it’s not (i.e. my unisuit, Dad Vails 2010). I also try to pack extras of easily misplaced things like socks. That way, if I meet someone else who is also forgetful, I can make a friend by sharing. 

Breathing exercises aren’t just for yoga instructors. Of all the tips I’ve researched, this one comes up the most. Personally, I just like focusing on my breathing because it gives me something to focus on besides the “what if” game. Also, slowing your breathing helps calm the Sympathetic Nervous System, which is what causes our fight or flight response. Calming down the SNS allows you to use energy more efficiently instead of wasting it on stressing out.

Positive thinking. This is definitely hardest for me to do. My brain loves the “what if” game and often enjoys “what ifs” erring on the side of failure. My main workout partner (one of the most mentally tough people I know) often tells me that I just have to turn off my brain and get on with the workout because too much thinking quickly becomes too much negative thinking which leads to a negative result. A lot of people like to walk themselves through the perfect racing scenario but I prefer to think about all the hard work I’ve put into my sport. I know that I might not be the most gifted athlete out there but I know that I have put in the hard work and time. This gives me confidence to make it through a race successfully.

Marist College's Erg Room: where the hard work happens

Practice to the best of your ability. I like to simulate a race situation as much as possible in order to give myself confidence that I can handle every part of the race and execute my race plan. Before I tried my first triathlon, I practiced transitions over and over  (much to the confusion of the Marist men’s lacrosse team, who had conditioning near where I set up my fake transition area). I wanted to have the muscle memory of going through those specific steps. In order to prepare for Derby, on Tuesday, my practice consisted of rowing 5x1k at just under race pace. If all else fails on race day, I can at least be confident in my ability to complete 1000m in the single. As far as Rebel Race goes, I don’t plan on climbing a mountain of mud over and over but I am confident in my ability to run three miles without stopping. Knowing both of these things will definitely calm my pre-race nerves.

….but be prepared to handle anything. It’s true that anything can happen on race day. The people who perform well through unexpected mishaps are not the ones who are thinking “THIS ISN’T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN” but rather the ones who are thinking, “Okay, that happened, what am I going to do next?” Even with massive amounts of preparation, crazy stuff can still happen and someone with the ability to handle it without stress can still perform well on  race day.

In my opinion, preparing for anything that could happen as much as possible is the best way to calm race day nerves. However, I feel that Laura Farres, a mental performance consultant with the Canadian Sport Psychology Association and founder of Mind in Motion Consulting Inc. in Vancouver, sums it up best:

“You get there and feel the jitters and all sorts of things can happen,” says Farres, “You have to be prepared for potentially any challenges that might occur.”